Geoffrey Chaucer & Jane Eyre

4. What does Mr. Brocklehurst’s analogy between the ill-prepared breakfast and the “sufferings of the primitive Christians…the torments of martyrs…the exhortations of our blessed Lord Himself” reveal about his character? How does this attitude contrast with that of Miss Temple to reveal the author’s social message? 

Mr. Brocklehurst's analogy reveals his religious hypocrisy and his abuse of power. Mr. Brocklehurst gets upset over the extra lunch that the girls were served after their breakfast was ruined. He tells Miss Temple that they should not be compensated for the lost meal but rather they should endure that small privation like good Christians. He references several biblical passages to further his point of feeding their soul. The hypocrisy in his message is that a person of his high class is not likely to miss a meal yet he tells Miss Temple that these girls must do so to spiritually edify themselves. Additionally Mr. Brocklehurst embodies a pious attitude to yield power over these women. He strips the young girls of any semblance of luxury or immodesty in the name of serving God. While Mr. Brocklehurst is lecturing Miss Temple about this unacceptable event, Miss Temple reacts to his influence.

"Miss Temple had looked down when he first began to speak to her; but she now gazed straight before her, and her face, naturally pale as marble, appeared to be assuming also the coldness and fixity of that material; especially her mouth, closed as if it would have required a sculptor's chisel to open it, and her brow settled gradually into petrified severity."

Here, the author juxtaposes Mr. Brocklehurst and Miss Temple to highlight the effect Mr. Brocklehurst has. Miss Temple sympathizes with the girls and tries to protect them but Mr. Brocklehurst turns Miss Temple into stone with his frugality and strict conduct. This shows the audience that he has a powerful influence on people. The social message the author is trying to convey is that people of high class and power may be wealthy in luxuries but they are not wealthy in character. They are often trapped with hypocrisy and corrupted morals.